Exterior House Paint Prep recommendations?

I’m in “Kaul-Le-Fornia”…any guidance on prepping stucco would be much appreciated.

Really good carbide pull scrapers, truly sharp small conventional scrapers + a big, industrial heat gun, good 1/4 and 1/2 sheet sanders with top quality abrasives. Get all the loose stuff and the maybe loose-ish stuff, sand everything, wash w/ TSP and a brush, let dry. Then caulk everyplace where water isn't supposed to able to escape and either prime it all or at least every bit of bare wood and caulk.

I stubbornly clung to Benjamin Moore oil based primer and top coat (Impervo?)until I couldn't get it anywhere. Once the alkyd stuff was unavailable I last used California Fres-Coat acrylic latex and was very favorably impressed. If it's a little cool out and the paint isn't laying out well, add some Flood Floetrol. It's the magic for great looking application.

I do all this because I despise exterior painting and an extra day or two of prep to buy a job that lasts 3 years longer is worth it to me.

If you don't care, knock off the loosest stuff and shoot it with the cheapest commercial paint you can get in pails at a real commercial paint shop. Rent a real pressure pot + gun sprayer and spend some time masking. I've seen pros paint window frames and muntins then scrape the excess off with a razor after as it's much, much faster than masking.